The Royal Mint has unveiled a new collectible coin that celebrates the life and legacy of Freddie Mercury, the legendary Queen frontman whose voice and theatrical presence reshaped rock music. The announcement arrives at a significant moment for fans, marking forty years since Queen delivered their historic Live Aid performance in July 1985, a concert still regarded as one of the most powerful moments in music history. The coin also honours the fortieth anniversary of Mercury's first solo studio album, Mr. Bad Guy, which showed the world another side of his creativity and marked a bold step outside the Queen catalogue.

Dom Dolla will deliver one of the biggest moments of his career on Saturday 20 December 2025, with his first ever Australian stadium headline show at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, and today he has revealed the full line-up joining him for this landmark night. The Melbourne-raised, internationally acclaimed producer, songwriter and DJ has confirmed Irish electronic star Kettama, New York duo Fcukers with a DJ set, and Australian trailblazer Anna Lunoe.

The Pogues have opened a time capsule from 1987, releasing the first ever live performance of Fairytale Of New York, captured at Glasgow Barrowland on 17 December 1987. The moment marks the first time Kirsty MacColl ever sang the now iconic duet with the band, during a show that has since become part of Pogues folklore. The newly restored recording has been revived by original producer Steve Lillywhite, who has brought fresh life to the raw desk tape while preserving the ferocity of the night.

Ian Gillan has revealed that worsening eyesight may soon bring his long career with Deep Purple to a close. Gillan, now 80, continues to perform with the band he first joined in 1969, yet he admits that time is catching up. He completed a major run of shows late last year, then committed to a smaller set of dates for 2025. He described his vision as limited, with only thirty per cent remaining. He said he must now read screens through peripheral vision, which makes daily tasks difficult. He added that he adapts when needed and prefers to keep working while he can.

TISM will finally give fans another chance to secure a seat at their 2026 Sydney Opera House takeover, with both previously sold out shows now reconfigured as in the round events, allowing new tickets to be released this week. The band continue to reject all pressure to add a third date, instead shifting both concerts into a full 360 degree layout, creating additional seating around the stage and activating the choir seats behind the performance area. These positions, although behind the stage, will place fans unusually close to the action, creating a rare vantage point for what are already set to be two extraordinary nights.

The Port Fairy Folk Festival has unveiled its third artist announcement for 2026, widening an already ambitious program with a rich collection of international trailblazers and Australian favourites. The festival returns to Port Fairy from 6 to 9 March 2026, continuing its long tradition of presenting world-class folk, roots and culturally diverse music in one of Victoria's most picturesque seaside towns.

Konvict Kulture has introduced its newest force with the release of Ain't My Fault, the hard-hitting single from rising hip-hop artist Storye, whose mix of melodic flow, sharp bar delivery, and Southern grit positions her as one of the most exciting new voices in US rap. The track arrives with the fiery confidence of an artist ready to claim her space, using vivid honesty and emotional depth to fuel every line.

Three time GRAMMY Award winner Fantastic Negrito will make his long awaited return to Australia in March 2026, bringing a run of headline dates and festival shows that promise powerful performances and bold storytelling. The tour will see the American artist share songs from across his remarkable career, including his 2024 album Son Of A Broken Man.

Bryan Adams will unveil his newest photography exhibition, Shotbyadams, now open at the Leica Store & Gallery Los Angeles from 17 November to 1 December 2025. The showcase presents a curated selection of Adams' photographic works that highlight his focus on emotional honesty and the human condition. Adams brings the same meticulous craft to his images that shaped his career in music, which began in Canada in the late 1970s and soon grew into international recognition with albums like Cuts Like A Knife and Reckless.

Post Malone will take centre field when the Dallas Cowboys meet the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day, airing on 27 November 2025 at 3.30pm CST on CBS, as he headlines this year's Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show. The event marks the official launch of The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign, a long-running appeal that supports millions of Americans who rely on the charity during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Blues On Broadbeach will mark its 25th anniversary in 2026 with four days of live music on the Gold Coast from 14 May to 17 May, as the festival celebrates a quarter of a century of rhythm, soul, community spirit and international recognition. The event's landmark year follows its recent Gold win in the Major Festivals and Events category at the Queensland Tourism Awards, a result that highlights the importance of the festival in the cultural life of the state.

Grammy winner Judith Hill will tour Australia in May 2026 as she brings her latest album, Letters From A Black Widow, to life for local audiences. The shows will showcase her signature mix of soul, funk and gospel, delivered with the emotional depth that has defined her career. Hill released the album in 2024 and marked a new chapter for the Los Angeles artist, who continues to build on a remarkable legacy shaped by collaboration, resilience and reinvention.

Thirty years ago this month, The Rolling Stones released Stripped, a bold and intimate reinvention that arrived fresh off the Voodoo Lounge era and reminded the world that beneath the stadium spectacle, the band was - at its core - a razor-sharp rock and roll unit rooted in blues, country, and soul.

Yungblud has cancelled the rest of his 2025 tour after doctors raised concerns about his voice and blood tests. The British rocker returned home for routine checks and was advised to halt all shows until the end of the year. The decision follows a demanding run that pushed the Doncaster artist to his limits. He described the decision as heartbreaking yet necessary. He apologised to fans across the United States, Mexico City and Latin America.

James Blundell has entered a new era of his four decade career with Patience Wins, his thirteenth studio album and one of his most significant releases to date. The project arrives with a powerful reception from fans, debuting at #1 on the Australian Country Album Chart, #2 on the Country Album Chart, #4 on the Australian Album Chart, and #25 on the overall ARIA Album Chart. The result highlights Blundell's enduring place in the Australian music story, a journey that began when he first broke through in 1989 with 'James Blundell'.

David Coverdale has confirmed his retirement, closing a chapter that helped shape the sound of hard rock across five decades. At 73, the Whitesnake frontman and former Deep Purple singer announced in a video message that he is stepping away from touring and recording, saying the moment had finally arrived to hang up the platform shoes and skin-tight jeans that defined so much of his stage life.

Germany's modern metalcore breakers The Narrator have plunged into darker creative territory with their new single Aurora. The track marks another powerful step in their evolution, showing a band unafraid to confront fear, conflict and emotional unease.

Germany's modern metalcore breakers The Narrator have plunged into darker creative territory with their new single Aurora. The track marks another powerful step in their evolution, showing a band unafraid to confront fear, conflict and emotional unease.

US progressive alt-metal outfit Stellar Circuits step into a defining new chapter with the release of their third album, Phantom :: Phoenix, out now through Nuclear Blast Records. The Winston-Salem four piece last delivered a full record in 2023 with Sight To Sound, a release that pushed them from underground recognition to genuine global momentum, and the new album signals a further evolution in sound, character and intention.

KISS have returned to the stage for the first time in two years, and for the first time since the death of Ace Frehley, the legendary guitarist who helped define the band's sound. The shows formed part of the three day Kiss Kruise, held at the Virgin Hotels complex in Las Vegas. While the band stepped away from the road following the End Of The Road tour in 2023, the return to performance has offered long term fans a chance to reconnect with a group that has shaped rock culture for more than fifty years.

Irish folk-metal powerhouse The Scratch will return to Australia in April 2026, as the Dublin group prepare to release their third studio album Pull Like A Dog. The tour marks the band's first Australian headline run since their support slot with Dermot Kennedy, and their energy-driven shows are set to take Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth by storm.

Meg Washington will begin 2026 with a major national run. The four-time ARIA Award winner has confirmed a 23 date Natural Beauty Tour, named after her latest single, Natural Beauty, which arrives today with a striking new video. The song is lifted from her recent ARIA nominated album Gem, which continues to expand her reputation as one of Australia's most inventive voices.

MG Live has confirmed the return of Lise & Sarah's Disco Club in March 2026, with a new national rollout that will bring the event to major cities across Australia. What started as a small idea in 2022, sparked by two friends who missed carefree nights on the dancefloor, has now become one of the country's most in-demand event series for women.

Deftones will end a near decade long absence from headline arenas in Australia and New Zealand, with a run of shows in May 2026. The Sacramento band bring their immersive, genre-defying live show, with special guests Interpol and Ecca Vandal.

Australia will welcome a powerful fusion of UK folk punk and Texan pop punk in May 2026, with Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls joining forces with Bowling For Soup for the co-headline Bowl My Bones Australian Tour. The two acts will travel across the country together next May, offering fans a rare chance to see two long-running and influential punk artists share a single bill.

Lenny Kravitz has started his southern return, and Auckland was first to witness his new tour in action. Lenny touched down with a setlist shaped by his three decade career, and Australia now has a predicted blueprint of what to expect next. Kravitz played Auckland on Saturday night, and the show leaned into classics, deep cuts, and a generous serve from his latest album Blue Electric Light.

Metallica ended their 2025 Australian tour in Sydney with a surprise that honoured two of the city's most influential rock acts, and the crowd at Accor Stadium erupted as the nods to AC/DC and Rose Tattoo rang out across the venue.

A free all-ages show for Amyl And The Sniffers at Melbourne's Federation Square came to a sudden halt after large sections of the crowd pushed through perimeter fencing, creating an immediate safety risk. The event, announced as a surprise hometown performance during the band's break from supporting AC/DC on the current world tour, drew thousands into the CBD with expectations of a rare cost-free appearance.

American heavies Born Of Osiris and Signs Of The Swarm will join forces for a crushing double-headline Australian tour in March 2026, marking the long-awaited return of Born Of Osiris six years after their last visit, and the first chance for Australian fans to witness Signs Of The Swarm in full flight since the band's global breakthrough.

A new chapter in alternative folk and experimental rock has arrived, with Scott and Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers joining forces with Mike Patton, the ever-restless voice behind Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Their project, simply titled AVTT/PTTN, brings together two distinct musical worlds, united by curiosity, kinship, and decades of mutual respect. Released through Thirty Tigers, Ramseur Records, and Ipecac Recordings, the album captures the creative spark that shaped this unlikely trio.